Friends Perhaps you could help me with this dogtag my son just got from his great-grandfather. It may not even be a dogtag per-se but some kind of ID. I do know he served on the USS kentucky as a radio operator. What would be the signifigance of the thumbprint on the reverse. High security? Thanks for your help. Robert

Here is the reverse with what appears to be a thumbprint. Thanks again.

It certainly is a Thumbprint, I think they did that back then to help ensure they had the right sailor. I'd bet at least one sailor put a drunken friend into his uniform and skipped out before they set sail...

Very nice family Heirloom!

Jerry Well that makes sense. I wonder how they got the imprint on the tag itself and was the thumbprint ID only for Navy service. I can't picture in my mind how it would have been possible to print all the infantry as well. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Robert

I dont think the USS Kentucky was ever launched.The war ended before she could get done so during the drawdown she was used for spare parts until she was scraped in 1958.

Thumb print is raised and with the 9-12-98 date I would venture to say it's not period. Commerative?

I think the "98" refers to his Birthday, of 1898, making him 20 in 1918.

I don't recall having ever seen anything like this. Is the great-grandfather L. Kyllonen?
My first thought was that this is a commemorative piece celebrating the life of
L. Kyllonen
born 3-8-(19)18
died 9-12-(19)98.

My son's Great Grandfather on my wife's side was Leo Kyllonen who was born in 1898. He died in 1987. Now I just called said Great-Grandfather's son who himself is 73 and he isn't exactly sure it was the Kentucky. Thanks for all the help. Will keep you posted. I've asked him to dig thru the artifacts he has a little more and give me more details. Robert

Well I just searced USS Kentucky. Kearsarge-class battleship launched 24 March 1898 and scrapped in January 1924. I still can't figure out the fingerprint though. Perhaps as a radioman he was privy to secure messages hence the fingerprint? Take care Robert

Robert,

An interesting item regardless of it's purpose. If you learn more, please let us know. Thanks for posting....

The thumbprint was done on USN & USMC Tags until about 1943 as far as I can tell.

This is a very typical WW1 US Navy dog tag.

I have the dog tag book, now you guys are going to make me dig it out...

Jerry is correct. WWI Naval and USMC Dog Tags had the man's birthday and his thumb print raised in this manner. I have had several of these over the years. Totally different from the Army style. You will find that the Marines attached to the 2nd US Army Division in WWI had the army style round aluminum dog tag instead of the naval style however.
Ron Weinand

I was looking under Yahoo seach and lol for some reason though WW2 and they show a USS Kentucky being built in 44 but never launched.Should have fiqured WW1 from the dates.My bad.